Pollstar Live Keynote Preview: A Conversation With C3 Presents’ Charles Attal & The·Team’s Kevin Shivers

Pollstar Live!, the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals, returns to Los Angeles April 14-16 and will be held at Loews Hollywood Hotel. The three-day conference is a flagship event for Pollstar magazine with compelling keynotes, panels, roundtables and the Pollstar Awards, celebrating the best in the business, along with plenty of opportunities to network and engage in insightful discussions.

Pollstar Live! kicks off with Production Live!, the one-day companion conference that features panels on all topics related to staging live events, including lighting, video, stage management, sound technique, concert production, regulations, security and more.

Click this link for the Production Live! and the Pollstar Live! schedules. Register for Pollstar Live! here.

Rainmaker 3: Austin to Arenas: A Conversation with Charles Attal and Kevin Shivers

Moderator
Cristina Baxter – THE·TEAM

Speakers
Kevin Shivers – The•Team
Charles Attal – C3 Presents

Agents and promoters sit at opposite ends of the deal-making aisle, which, naturally, can lead to disagreements or worse between individuals. That’s not the case with C3 co-founder Charles Attal and THE·TEAM’s Kevin Shivers, who go back to Shivers’ time as a student at the University of Texas at Austin as he was trying to find his way in the world of entertainment.

“One day, Charles walked up to me and said, ‘I see you at a lot of shows, what’s your deal?’ At first, I thought he was asking how I kept getting in, but what he really meant was, “Hey, we should be friends,’” Shivers said in a recent Pollstar interview. “We’ve stayed close ever since. I still FaceTime him all the time. He’s truly one of the best people I know.”

Shivers credits Attal with giving him his first gig in music, having originally been interested in the movie biz.

“Once I realized (the film industry) wasn’t the career for me, I was plotting my next move. I started calling the William Morris Agency every Monday, begging for a job. Finally, six months had gone by, and I called Charles Attal, because everything goes back to Charles. I was like, “Can you help me get a job?” And he said, “I was waiting for you to call. What took you so long?” 20 minutes later, I had a job.”

As Shivers began his own music industry journey and became an agent, he leaned on Attal, who helped him get his first role at WME.

“Kevin Shivers works tirelessly and always answers on the first ring, no matter the time zone,” says Attal, co-founder of C3 Presents, which, based in Austin and built on Stubb’s BBQ, largely developed the modern urban music festival with Austin City Limits Music Festival and Lollapalooza, which has become a global entity.

“In a fast-paced industry with sharp elbows, Kevin remains even-keeled and always has a calm demeanor. His steady presence and relentless drive make him an invaluable partner in any situation.”

Shivers in January joined THE·TEAM alongside fellow agents Cristina Baxter and James Rubin, having previously spent more than a decade at WME. As this issue was going to press, it was announced Shivers was named co-president of music at THE·TEAM alongside co-president Lee Anderson, where he will oversee the agency’s global strategy and operations in all sectors of its live music business.

Moderated by fellow agent at THE·TEAM Cristina Baxter, this panel, while sure to bring up some fun war stories from the good old days, promises a look at the big picture and the big stage, as Shivers represents top talent including Tyler, The Creator, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, Leon Thomas and Kid Cudi.

Meanwhile, C3, a Live Nation partner and which books and promotes shows at venues including Moody Center arena at the University of Texas in Austin, continues to build on its festival business with Lollapalooza on multiple continents and a host of growing experiential events like Ocean’s Calling and sister event Country Calling in Ocean City, Maryland, and Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

“Good leadership comes from listening and getting back to people,” Shivers says. “It’s about being thoughtful, being vulnerable, and admitting when you’re wrong. We’re all human beings; we don’t always get it right. Always being willing to help and always extending a hand is what makes a good leader. Show up when people need you and just be open. Many times, it’s a thankless job. Being open to feedback and knowing that sometimes, you might not get it right.”